


Interlocked

by unofficiallyconfused



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, lapidot is implied but this could also be seen as friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 10:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7754194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unofficiallyconfused/pseuds/unofficiallyconfused
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peridot attempts to cheer up a sad Lapis with the power of holding hands. (Set during Back to the Moon.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interlocked

Lapis was thankful Steven had asked if she wanted to be a part of their (poorly thought out) plan to get rid of the rubies for good. Lapis was a prisoner once, she didn’t want to pretend to be one again, regardless of it was for the safety of Steven and the other gems. Even thinking about it brought up horrific memories. 

Lapis didn’t want to worry anyone, ever. She always wanted everything to be okay, to prove she was okay, that no one should have to be taking care of her. And, as a result, rarely spoke about her feelings. 

Things were settling down between her and Peridot. Lapis loathed the idea of living with her. The green gem had been her captor before, alongside Jasper. But Steven, as always, was very good at helping others see the good in themselves. Steven helped Lapis realize that, although what Peridot had done was bad, she was only doing her job. Peridot was loyal to her diamond. Lapis understood that. It was Jasper who was at fault. It was Jasper who loved destruction and it was Jasper who had forced Lapis into imprisonment at the bottom of the sea. Peridot did all she could to save Earth and while Lapis didn’t particularly want to stay at first, just like Peridot she had nowhere else to go. 

Earth was her home now. 

She was starting to see the beauty in it. Aside from Peridot’s occasionally rude outbursts, she wasn’t so bad. She truly did want Lapis to be happy, and consistently showed that by doing little things. She would as if Lapis was okay, and that asked if she was sure, just in case. She frequently gave Lapis gifts, even if Lapis had done nothing to deserve a gift. And that adorable laugh of Peridot’s seemed to always put a smile on her face. 

But there were times where, no matter how happy she wanted to be, and no matter how hard she tried, it was very clear that she was struggling. But Peridot (or the other gems for that matter) didn’t deserve to put up with her constant depressed mood, so even when someone asked, Lapis would lie and say she was okay. 

When Steven and the others took off in the rubies ship, Peridot could see how hard Lapis was trying to be okay. But when she denied it, things got awkward. Peridot didn’t know what to say, and she was terrified of upsetting Lapis any more or making her angry. 

At first, Peridot suggested meepmorps, giggling at the name Lapis had come up with for them. When that didn’t pan out, she suggesting something called “coloring.” Steven had shown them and Peridot thought it was fun. Although when frustrated the drawing didn’t look right, Peridot’s first instinct was to bite, but the crayons tasted horrible and left stains on her teeth, so most of their coloring utensils were unusable. 

Peridot’s last attempt was to watch Camp Pining Hearts together. They’d already watching the whole show all the way through, so they’d started up again. The two gems sat side by side on their balcony, a blanket overhead and to the sides to keep out the cold breeze (not that the cold was in issue for gems, but it did make things more comfortable.) 

They were mis season four when Peridot began feeling awkward again. Normally the two would talk, or rather Peridot would rant about the show and what the characters would do wrong, but Lapis clearly wasn’t interested in conversation, and for once in her life Peridot felt uncomfortable to be the only one talking. 

An idea popped into her head and she briefly debating whether or not it was a good idea, but she was tired of Lapis moping around and was desperate to do anything to make her feel better. Hoping not to get yelled out, Peridot quickly dropped her hand to where Lapis’s was and interlocked their fingers together. 

Lapis flinched but didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, she turned to Peridot and began asking what she was doing, but before she could say anything, Peridot let out a nervous squeak. She pulled her hand away from the blue gem’s and profusely apologized, shaking her head back and forth violently. 

“I saw Steven and Garnet doing it!” She explained, “It’s called ‘handholding’ and I thought it would make you feel better! You’ve been upset all day and won’t tell me what’s wrong so what else was I supposed to do?” 

Lapis sat still for a moment, half-shocked at Peridot’s outburst. She wasn’t sure what to say, she was never sure what to say. Lapis hated being touched, especially without permission, but after seeing Peridot’s genuine care for her wellbeing, she wasn’t mad. Instead, Lapis began laughing. 

“What are you doing that for?” Peridot near-shrieked, confused and worried.

Lapis said nothing, and as her laughter died down she reached for Peridot’s hand and interlocked their fingers once again. She turned back towards the television and sat in silence, feeling Peridot relaxing next to her. They continued to watch in silence, and they both knew that when Lapis was ready to talk, she would. But in that moment, everything was okay, and no words were necessary for them to be happy together.


End file.
